by William Peetoom
Levi Harrel-Hallmark, who currently serves as ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ City Universityβs dean of students, is an ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ native who spent time away from his home state to find his passion, but has since brought his professional talents back home to work at ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ City University. He started his college education at the University of Central ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ in Edmond, continued on at Ohio State University in Columbus, and found his first professional position at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware. He explained that Ohio Wesleyan is a small, private, religious school, so the atmosphere between Ohio Wesleyan and ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ was similar, but he explained, βI was there for three years and felt like it was time to come back.β
Harrel-Hallmark has worked for ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ for nearly eight years, starting in 2015 as the assistant director of student development, and eventually working his way up to dean of students in 2019. He described the position as connecting with students through things like student organizations, recreational sports, religious life and by supporting students through the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Care and Conduct processes. His philosophy on students is important to him, saying, βI fundamentally believe that my role on campus is help students succeed,β and that, βfinding those paths and places of success is something different with every single student.β
The subject of grace was touched on by Harrel-Hallmark when he discussed his relationships with students, saying, βI want to extend the grace that you would want extended to you, we are all in this world and we do great things. We make mistakes and we certainly hope we are not judged by our worst day on our best.β Harrel-Hallmark spoke extensively about dreaming big, explaining his own take on an old saying with, βwe can shoot for the stars, land on the moon and we still have an accomplishment.β
He additionally believes what makes ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ students unique is, βthe students who come to ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ have a spark in them, a spark to connect, grow and learn.β Harrel-Hallmark uses his position as dean of students to focus on the student experience, connecting with them and focusing on their growth, giving them a place to accomplish and fail, but always have an opportunity to learn. After nearly eight years at ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½, Harrel-Hallmark has seen several ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ of students come in and graduate, but said his goal is always to, βgrow right alongside our students.β
